The bill: requires the minister to develop a scheme to support solar hot water systems and heat pump hot water systems by 1 July 2011; requires the minister to ensure the phasing-out of electric resistance water heaters by 30 June 2012; and amends the

Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000

to require that the number of renewable energy certificates (RECs) created by solar hot water systems, heat pump hot water systems and ‘phantom RECs’ must be added to the subsequent year’s renewable energy target.

to: limit the issue of renewable energy certificates to mature renewable energy technologies to one-third of the total certificates issued; and provide for the creation of certificates for building efficient long distance transmission systems.

to require regulations to be made to determine that food processing activities, to the extent that they are trade exposed, be given a 90 per cent partial exemption from the additional renewable source electricity acquisition obligation for 2010 and later years.

to establish a national feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme to provide financial support for the commercialisation of prospective renewable energy technologies by providing: that the minister sets and reviews a FiT rate for renewable energy technology and a FiT levy rate to fund payments under the scheme; that qualifying generators be allowed to connect and feed into the grid; that the Renewable Energy Regulator establish a Feed-in-Tariff Register; and for the preparation and tabling of an independent report on the operation of the scheme.

to establish a national feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme to provide financial support for the commercialisation of prospective renewable energy technologies by providing: that the minister sets and reviews a FiT rate for renewable energy technology and a FiT levy rate to fund payments under the scheme; that qualifying generators be allowed to connect and feed into the grid; that the Renewable Energy Regulator establish a Feed-in-Tariff Register; and for the preparation and tabling of an independent report on the operation of the scheme.

to establish a national feed-in tariff scheme to provide financial support for the commercialisation of prospective renewable energy technologies. Also provides for an annual review of the operation of the Act.

to give the Governor-General authority to appoint, suspend and terminate the positions of Governor or Deputy-Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Terminations of these positions requires parliamentary approval.

More on bills

Bills and committees

The House of Representatives Selection Committee and the Senate Selection of Bills Committee routinely consider whether bills should be referred to committees for inquiry and report. The House Committee reports its determinations to the chamber, while the Senate Committee makes recommendations which the Senate may then adopt. Bills may also be referred to committees by either chamber or by the relevant minister to House and joint committees.